Teach and Be Taught
by Sulhadahne
Summary: [LexaeusOC][oneshot][Part of ORGLUV] A nervous, frightened PE teacher finds a man on her lawn. Afraid for her life, but unable to ignore him, the woman takes him in. Can love blossom when the sight of your beloved scares you to death? I LUV LEXAEUS!


**005: LEXAEUS, the SILENT HERO**

_**To Teach and Be Taught**_

Cheers and laughter filled the air pleasantly in the fields of Twilight High, as ninth grade students shook the fence in happiness and cheered with all their might. They were exuberantly watching a race, one between four people; the four different teachers of ninth grade physical education.

"Go, Ms. Shore! Go!" Hayner leaned over the fence halfway, almost losing balance, and falling to the other side. The teacher to whom he was calling laughed and shook her head.

She was a long legged woman, about 5'7" and rather muscular (she was a PE teacher after all). Dark red hair, darker than bricks, hung in a short ponytail behind her, and her baby blue eyes darted to the opponent who was gaining on her; the gangly Mr. Peters.

"Go Peters, hurry up!" Seifer laughed tauntingly. It seemed the students were cheering for their own teachers.

The finish line approached, and Ms. Erin Shore put the last spring in her step to zoom over the finish line, to the joy of her excited students.

Giggling sweetly, Erin bowed and waved as if she were famous. Mr. Mark Peters slowed down next to her as the other two teachers caught up.

"Nice race, Mark", Erin grinned behind her to him, as his chest heaved.

"You're too fast for your own good!" An African American teacher behind them joked. It was Susie Meyers. "No man will ever catch you."

Erin smiled and shook her head. "If he wants me, he will catch me." The teachers grinned to each other and filed out of the track.

Hayner, Pence, and Olette rushed to Ms. Shore, all three grinning broadly and launching themselves on her. Laughing, Erin tried to balance herself, but all three fell back on the grass.

"Come on, guys, I'm tired!" Erin laughed, trying to push them off. Olette stood and helped her to her feet as the guys cheered and laughed to each other.

"Oh yeah! Go Shore! It's your birthday!" Erin had to giggle.

"Come on guys, time for seventh period." The boys groaned.

"Great". They mumbled at the same time. "Language arts." Olette shook her head.

"Boys." She and Erin shared a laugh as the group headed up to Twilight High.

The day was over for Erin Shore; she'd be spending the last period of the day grading papers and working on lesson plans. With a serene smile, Erin diverted from the path and headed to her office. The kids waved goodbye and she went off.

The office was clean and small, but it fit Erin's personality and her needs; the window was only two inches wide, but she could still look out and see the children playing, the teachers walking by… the unconscious bodies on the lawn?

There was a man lying on the lawn.

Erin stood and tried to peer through the window. Was it her imagination? Or was it someone on the lawn? If it was, it was probably a druggie or something. She didn't need to get involved. Convincing herself, Erin sat back down to work on her papers.

Scratching away, Erin graded the tests. Seifer did well… Rai failed (again)…

What if he wasn't a druggie?

Erin shook her head and stood, once more putting her eye to the glass. It hurt her forehead since the window was so small, but she could still see the unconscious man. Who in the world, and how in the world did they get there?

It was probably a rapist. Erin sat back down to grade Olette's paper.

What if it wasn't a rapist? Erin mumbled to herself and stood back up. What if it was just some innocent man? Groaning, Erin looked out the window one last time. It wouldn't hurt to go see whoever it was, would it? Besides, Olette was sure to have gotten a good grade; Erin moved towards the door.

When she touched the doorknob, Erin hesitated. Finally pushing back all her doubts, the woman walked out into the yard and up to the unconscious man in a black coat.

He had sandy brown hair and was rather muscular. He wasn't that bad looking, actually. But he was really big; he could be a rapist. Probably not a druggie; maybe a rapist. Erin sighed miserably and chided her brain to be quiet.

The strong woman had to drag the enormous man to the door, and then down the hall. It must have looked really stupid, dragging this big guy down the hallways of the high school. Erin felt like an idiot. Some of the students were staring dumbfound at her, leaning over this man, walking backwards and dragging him with her. She was trying to get to the nurse's office, and she wished one of the students would be polite enough to offer help…

Erin bumped into something with her but and went face first over the man. Scrambling off of him, she looked back to see Principal Smith behind her.

"Whoops…" She mumbled. The Principal didn't say a word; he looked at the man, and at Erin's dumbfounded stare, and aided her in dragging him to the nurse.

"He's not bleeding, but he is bruised and beaten a good bit. He'll need to be taken care of; someone to feed him, help him up…" Erin sighed.

"Should we really pay the hospital just to do that?" She mumbled. The principal looked at her.

"Well, thank you for volunteering, Ms. Shore!" The Principal grinned. Erin blinked.

"Wait, what?"

The next thing she knew, Erin was in her truck, with the big man in the back, and a month's paid leave. The nurse and the Principal were in front of the school, waving innocently as she shook her head and began backing out.

"Goodbye, Ms. Shore!" Mr. Smith grinned. He leaned down to the nurse. "Or should I say Mrs. Whatever-the-hell-that-guy's-last-name-is?" The two laughed evilly.

And so a school day ends at Twilight High.

Erin couldn't believe it. She'd been a teacher at Twilight High for four years, and the other teachers and staff still hadn't given up on hooking her up with someone! Really… you'd think they'd get the message?

Erin arrived at her house and pulled into the garage and with some difficulty, removed the man from the back and put him in her bedroom. It was the only bedroom in the house, and he'd surely heal faster there. With a sigh, Erin collapsed on the sofa and began watching "Twilight Town's Most Wanted".

"… Organization XIII was supposedly destroyed a few months back, but recent sightings of the 'men in black' have stirred many a rumor. These men are the most powerful and deadly in the universe; you must be prepared."

Erin bored watched the screen as mug shots of the Organization XIII came up. There were thirteen of them (surprise). Scanning them over, Erin went to change the channel… her eyes became as wide as saucers and her mouth dropped.

"**_OH, SHIT_**!"

There was a criminal in her house. Not just any criminal; a member of the legendary Organization XIII! And not just any member! Number five, the Silent Hero (hero my foot, Erin thought)! She knew she should've left him on the grass when she saw him!

What could she do? What could she do? Erin sat in the kitchen with a bottle of vodka. The bottle was full of water, but Erin liked to pretend she could stomach alcohol by drinking water from the empty bottles.

She couldn't throw him onto the street; that would be cruel. But… but… he could kill her! Or other people! Or… something!

Erin groaned and scratched her temples. What to do?

Well, she had a paid month's leave and a guy asleep on her bed. She should make the best of it. Erin's eyes went wide when she realized how perverted that thought was.

"All right", she muttered. "No turning back. I guess I take care of this person. Who was it…? Lexus? Lisix?" Mumbling, Erin stumbled into the living and fell onto the couch, her bottle of vodka (water) in hand.

So it was; every day, Erin would take care of the man, even going as far to shower him when he needed it; she was a PE teacher, so it was nothing new. (It didn't mean she came out of the event without a brick red complexion, though) She bandaged him, brushed his teeth, brushed his hair, fed him baby food so he wouldn't choke, and not once did he awaken. He was a hard sleeper!

It was actually really saddening after a while; she had no one to talk to; but she was also afraid he would awaken and go psycho or… something. So things continued. Until two weeks later…

Erin stepped into the room to find no one on her bed. She blinked; '_sleeping bodies don't move on their own'_, she thought. Quietly stepping into the room, Erin looked around.

"Hello? Mr. Lexus?" Erin shivered when she heard a deep voice chuckle and the man stepped out of the wall from a portal of darkness.

"My name is Lexaeus." He corrected; his voice was surly and deep, his eyes glittering and kind. Erin felt her heart beat speed up.

"Oh." She said. Silence drifted in. Erin wanted to smack herself. _'Oh' that's all you can say?!?!_

Lexaeus didn't seem to notice the quiet. He was looking about the room, and then looking Erin over.

"Have you been taking care of me?" He implored quietly. Erin could tell why he was named the Silent Hero. But then, she was being rather silent as well; she nodded. Her heart beat faster; was it from fear or attraction? Erin was ready to smack her head into a wall.

To her surprise, Lexaeus smiled and gave his thanks. He then turned to the wall, ready to step back into his portal of darkness. Erin noticed.

"Wait!" She grabbed his wrist. "You're just going to leave? Just like that?" Lexaeus looked her over.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Erin Shore."

Lexaeus looked Erin over once again, and the girl felt her face heat up. His face did not betray whatever he was feeling; he was a brick wall.

"I'm afraid I have to leave. They're looking for me."

Erin thought she knew what he meant; the police, looking for the notorious Organization. Abashed, she backed away. "Oh, okay." Lexaeus looked her crestfallen face over curiously. "Well, maybe I'll see you again… sometime…"

With that he disappeared.

"All right, everyone, keep moving! This is a test grade!" Erin heard Pence groan as he passed her and began his third lap. She smiled a little. Somehow, it didn't feel as fun to smile.

_Why does it feel like I've known him forever, and all of the sudden, he's gone? _

Erin sighed sadly, not even bothering to watch her students. She leaned against the fence.

"Hey, Ms. Erin, you okay?" Hayner asked, jogging in place in front of her. Erin nodded pathetically.

"Keep going Hayner or you won't beat Seifer's time!" She chided. The boy rushed off.

Hayner left Erin behind. Erin, the master sprinter; to her, it seemed like nowadays the world was leaving her in the dust…

School was over, and she was supposed to be grading papers. But she was also supposed to be a happy, content schoolteacher. Erin was too busy being a forlorn dreamer to be a happy school teacher.

She was running the track, trying to sweat her worries away, and beat her own record. Erin was faster than anyone at the school, teacher, or student. She kept running, and every time she blinked she imagined him, running just a little ahead of her, and for once she couldn't keep up.

"Damn it", She grumbled, pushing herself. The imaginary Lexaeus went faster still.

Erin was tired of running in circles. Grabbing her jacket, she put it on and ran out into the woods, dashing between trees and over stumps and around puddles. The sky threatened to rain.

Halfway through the forest, she felt like she was being watched. Was it him? Was it Lexaeus? Erin slid to a stop, chest heaving. Whatever was watching her was coming from the trees… it was a black creature… with gold eyes. Erin was mesmerized; what was the creature?

When it leapt on her with a snarl Erin realized it wasn't friendly. Pushing it off, the woman pushed herself into a sprint, trying to escape all the creatures around her.

The fast woman couldn't outrun the enemy that came from everywhere. As she approached the haunted mansion, the creatures came in on her. Spinning around to a halt in front of the gates, Erin was trapped.

"Well, isn't this nice?" She sighed somberly. Why did she have to get heartbroken over someone she'd barely spoken to? Now she would die for it.

One of the skittering black creatures crawled over, eyeing her carefully. Erin sighed and kneeled towards it. "Well what are you waiting for?" She mumbled, holding her hand out. The creature sniffed it with delight. A willing victim… Erin let Lexaeus' face float through her mind in an attempt to block out the creatures ghastly appearance.

With that, the monsters leapt into the air over her, coming for her, and Erin wouldn't give them the pleasure of a scream; she winced, prepared herself…

The ground burst open beneath her, and a person flew from it, rising from the earth and taking Erin into his muscular arms. He leapt into the air and over the gate to the mansion, and before Erin could say a word, the two were enveloped in darkness.

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Hours later Erin awoke to voices; some female, some male, and all of them were very happy. Some were greeting, some were chatting; it hurt her head.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Welcome to The World that Never Was, courtesy of Number Five, the Silent Hero, who has a big ole heroic crush on you! Thank you for flying the Darkness airlines, have a nice existence."

_What??_

Erin opened her eyes to see a man with an eye patch leaning over her. He grinned broadly and stood up.

"The Angel's awake!" Erin was still trying to process what the man had first said, when a huge group of people surrounded her; four guys and four girls.

"She's pretty!" A short dark skinned girl commented.

"Pickle", a strange girl in miss matched clothes commented as she ate her sandwich.

"Be nice, Susie", a tall blonde smiled. Susie grinned.

"Where am I?" Erin asked again. The eye patch man sighed.

"Didn't I tell you?" He mumbled.

A fifth person came into the room. "The World that Never Was." It was Lexaeus!

"Oh!" Erin blushed and fumbled to stand, but tripped into a man with dred locks. He smiled at her and helped her stand. "Who are all you people?"

"Xaldin" the dred locks man introduced. The man with the eye patch introduced himself as the lovely and intriguing Xigbar. A woman in a wheel chair threw a book at his head. She introduced herself as Jess.

Erin was only half listening as she stumbled over to Lexaeus. When she arrived, she tripped and fell into his arms; her legs felt like jelly.

Xigbar hooted. "Love birds!" Erin blushed. With a kind smirk, Lexaeus shook his head.

"May we have some time alone, please?"

Everyone left quickly, Xigbar throwing a pair of thumbs ups over his shoulders as Xemnas dragged him away.

Lexaeus looked to the girl who was shyly leaning on his chest. "I think we need to talk."

And so he explained everything, and then told her everything that had been told to him. That explained why Erin was so sure she'd met him somewhere before…

So the two sat on the bed, and when the story was done, Erin sat quietly, intently looking Lexaeus over. So, was it her love that was supposed to save him? She had to love him?

No, she didn't have to. But she wanted to.

"So, shall I take you home?" Lexaeus asked. Erin grimaced. Did she have to go home?

"I thought I was supposed to help you." _Please, please, please…_

Smiling kindly, Lexaeus patted the woman's hand. "You won't be held here against your will."

"Well, then", Erin smiled. "I guess I'll have to stay because I want to, instead." Lexaeus blinked in surprise. Erin just… grinned.

Erin stayed with the Organization XIII, and spent most of her time running about with Bebe, or trying to avoid Xigbar's taunting, or sitting in the kitchen watching Lily work. She and Lexaeus weren't often together. But whenever they happened to pass one another, or be in the same room, the two shared a look, and a bond that was invisible. Erin didn't understand how she could fall in love with someone she didn't know.

That was how she decided to get to know him. So, one night, two weeks after her arrival and the end of her career Erin found herself staring at Lexaeus' door, her hand poised her heart hammering.

_I can't do this!_

"What am I doing?" She whispered, clutching her shoulders. It was rather cold.

With a sigh, Erin rubbed her forehead. It was now or never.

"Okay, I'm ready!" She murmured. Erin lifted her fist to knock on the door.

The door opened before she could knock and her fist hit a hard chest instead. Erin's face went red and she clutched her fist in pain. Lexaeus stared at her in confusion.

"Uh, may I help you?" He seemed embarrassed slightly for some reason, but he was also chuckling at Erin. The girl noticed and calmed down.

"Well I just thought I would visit you. That's all." Erin looked past Lexaeus and into his room. "Do you mind if I come in?" Lexaeus smiled.

"Not at all."

Lexaeus stepped aside and allowed Erin entrance. His room was clean and tidy; part of it dedicated to mediation and exercise, the other to his bed and closet. Erin took a quick look around and then looked up to Lexaeus. He nodded for her to sit on the couch.

"So, did you come to talk?" Lexaeus asked as he shut the door and walked over to the couch. Erin nodded.

"I wanted to get to know you better. If you don't mind."

The brotherly smile Erin had come to adore appeared on his face. "Of course."

It was then Erin realized she had no questions to ask him. There he sat, ready to answer her deepest ponderings, and she felt as naked as a stripper running across the football field, shouting, "Raiders!!"

"Well, I …" Erin scratched her chin. There had to be something! Whatever she asked would say a lot about her; if she asked about his past, or if she asked about his fears, or his interests, it could tell him about her. Was she deep, or funny, or intriguing? Erin shook her head of all its insecurities. (And she had a lot of them)

"_What's your favorite color_?" She blurted.

Lexaeus blinked.

_Smooth, Erin, smooth_

"I like green", he answered. Erin let out a sigh of relief. "What about you?"

"Oh, me?" She mumbled. Lexaeus nodded. "Well… red I guess."

The conversation took off from their, and slowly Erin's embarrassment and nervousness disappeared and in their wake came eagerness and a talkative tongue. Lexaeus was quite content to listen to Erin's stories and jokes.

Without her realizing it, the interview turned around, and Lexaeus found amusement; she had been so shy, but when she blossomed, she was an adorable, child like person. Truly, even more than Bebe (who was only child like due to her sometimes bratty actions and her childlike wisdom) she was a little girl.

Erin finished telling about her home and family, when she gasped and turned red in embarrassment. "I've spoke only about myself, I'm so sorry!"

"Not at all. I've enjoyed your company, and your stories." Lexaeus smiled; three hours had passed since her arrival.

Still blushing, but with a small smile, Erin turned to Lexaeus. "Tell me about yourself. Please?"

With a bit of a smirk, Lexaeus leaned forward and came very close to Erin's face. "Why are you so interested?"

Erin smiled a little. "Well, I…" Unable to speak (and a bit curious anyway) Erin leaned towards him and pecked Lexaeus on the cheek. The girl was surely embarrassed but couldn't hold back a giggle. Gently, Lexaeus raised his gloved hand and touched his cheek where she'd kissed him. Erin couldn't stop giggling.

"Wow, I've never done that before" She whispered breathlessly. Lexaeus smirked and leaned in.

"Have you ever done this?"

The two shared the first of many kisses to come.

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Time passed as it always would on the World that Never Was. Lexaeus would join Erin in her morning jogs (if you could call it morning) and Erin joined the man in his evening meditations; she didn't dare try the weights, though. The relationship deepened, between she, and he, and between Erin and the other people in the castle. Time passed.

One evening, a night when Erin couldn't fall asleep, she fell back into her routine of running about the castle. She'd come to know it like the back of her hand, and so ran through the hallways with ease. Eventually though, her growling stomach led her to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to find another member of the castle-hold there, none other than Susie.

"Good evening, Susie. Why are you up so late? Couldn't sleep?" Erin asked.

Susie shook her head. "Couldn't sleep. Closet monsters kept banging on the door." Erin nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, well, I guess I just wasn't tired." Erin took a sandwich out of the fridge.

"You know, supposedly, we all met the guys before." Susie began. Erin nodded, not totally listening. "I think I met Vexen when I was younger, at a mental hospital. When I was first diagnosed. What about you?"

"Hmm?" Erin asked. "Oh, well…"

She scanned her memory. "I don't… know. But I feel really… connected to him, somehow." Susie smiled. Walking towards the door, the woman spoke one last time before leaving, leaving Erin to ponder her words.

"Pickle",

Erin hit her head against the refrigerator.

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Erin began to ponder daily what her connection truly was with Lexaeus. Had she met him before somewhere? She felt like she had, but where? She'd never left Twilight Town in all her life.

"Well, I left when I was little. Maybe you did too and can't remember", Bebe explained.

"Maybe it was just meant to be." Lily smiled.

"Who cares? Leave me alone", Jess mumbled.

"MUAHAHAHA PICKLES!" Susie was running down the hallway with a pickle jar in hand.

Erin decided she couldn't ask anyone for advice anymore.

The stars were beautiful from the Altar of Naught, and Erin loved to end her jog there. Often, Lexaeus would await her arrival, as he did this night.

Erin slowed and came to a stop next to the tall man.

"Good evening", he greeted. Erin nodded and sat, confused.

Lexaeus noticed her trouble. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I've been thinking about our... connection. I've asked everybody about it, but I can't think of how I know you. It was useless to ask everybody else anyway; Susie shouted pickles and ran away." Susie moaned. "What is with that?"

Lexaeus grinned. "It seems Susie has been trying to find out what foods her pet chicken will eat. She was determined to make it eat her favorite food, pickles. Until recently, it refused; yesterday she decided to feed it pickle baby food and it worked." Erin blinked.

"What the hell?"

"I know", Lexaeus laughed and looked to the stars. "We have a strange family here."

"Family nonetheless." Erin sighed contently and looked to the stars too.

Gently, Lexaeus' strong, firm hand took hold of Erin's. "I remember how we met." Erin's eyes lit.

"Tell me!"

"It was after I became a nobody. I was on the Twilight Town train, and you and I looked at each other. But that was all." Erin looked dumbfounded.

"We looked at each other?"

"Correct", Lexaeus chuckled. "The little things count I guess." With a pained moan, Erin leaned against his strong chest.

"All that thinking for nothing." She laughed at her misery. A bit hesitantly, Lexaeus lifted his hand and caressed Erin's thigh. She jumped at the touch, but leaned back to him and enjoyed it, cheeks flushing. In return, she gently rubbed his chest.

"Oh, well" He told her. "The past is past." Erin nodded as she grew tired.

"Yeah, sure"… _yawn_

The two continued to watch the stars for quite a while. Eventually, Erin leaned away, looking up to him.

"Lexaeus, will it always be this way? Will you always be here?" As usual, the insecure Erin looked to him for comfort, and he gave it.

Gently taking hold of her chin, Lexaeus pulled her to him, his lips ever gently pressing against hers, opening her mouth and his tongue entered. It was a beautiful, soft touch. The big, tough man was so gentle, holding her delicate body. His hands enveloped her small waist, setting her on his lap, as Erin's heart erupted and she grew weaker than weak in the kiss, softly moaning in happiness.

Lexaeus smiled, showing his love for her, as he rubbed the small of her back. How could someone so strong and scary be so sweet and kind? Erin felt a tear roll down her cheek, and it did not go unnoticed. Lexaeus broke away and kissed away the tear.

"Why?" He asked. Erin smiled.

"Just didn't think this would ever happen to me, is all." Lexaeus sighed and kissed her again, as gentle as ever.

**CRASH**

_**"UWAHHH!"**_

_**CUUKOO!**_

Lexaeus and Erin leaned away from each other in shock.

"**_CHICKY!"_**

"Oh, no!" They muttered, leaping up and rushing down the stairs. Both couldn't help but laugh imagining the chaos down below

Life was moving on in the realm of nothing; the insecure and the insane thoughts drift away, the blessed peace descending and leaving at a moment's notice. Erin smiled to stars, pausing as Lexaeus ran on.

"So much for doing the teaching" She turned to run again, giving the sky one last smirk. "Look's like, you taught me."

_**CUUKOO!**_

_**"NO CHICKY, BAD!"**_

_**"MY HAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**_

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I'll leave that last bit to your wonderful imaginations. Hoped you liked it!

SULHADAHNE

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